Rev. Mary Joy Leaper | Celebrant and Wedding Officiant

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Ceremonies Celebrate Love and Life!

Picture the warmth and happiness of a wedding, new home blessing, baby naming, or new business opening. As the years pass, there will be milestone birthdays and anniversaries to observe. And, as part of the rhythm of life, there will be funerals or memorials for loved ones.

Ceremonies bring home the deeper meaning of your experiences. They provide support in the many transitions that must be negotiated during a lifetime. And they connect you more strongly to your family and community, as well as to your own heart.

I am a certified life-cycle celebrant®, trained to write and perform all types of ceremonies. In addition, I am an ordained interfaith minister. As a celebrant, I can create personalized ceremonies to celebrate, with you and your family and friends, any and all of the special happenings in your life.

The way that you celebrate significant moments should be as unique as you are. In consultation with you, I can craft a one-of-a-kind, heartfelt ceremony. To enrich your celebration, I have access to a number of resources and can provide a knowledge of traditions and rituals from many cultures. The ceremony can be entirely secular, or can have overtones of universal spirituality or a particular faith.

For most of my professional life, I have worked as a writer and editor. Now, celebrancy has given me the welcome opportunity to leave my desk and get to know many beautiful people and their stories. My spiritual path has led me to study world religions and to take a special interest in metaphysics. Canadian philosopher Kenneth G. Mills was my mentor for many years. Celebrancy has become my calling and an extension of my spirituality.

My objective is to help you discover the essence of your event and to create with you a personal and meaningful observance. The following pages will give you a brief overview of the weddings and other ceremonies I offer and the way we can work together. I serve people all over Connecticut, especially those in Fairfield and New Haven counties.

Please contact me at Ceremonies of Heart for a complimentary first meeting where we can explore ideas for your own truly original ceremony.